Continue to Site

Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

Register Log in
  • Congratulations cowski on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Category M Fluid 1

Status
Not open for further replies.
uaepiping

uaepiping

Mechanical
Feb 3, 2013
106
ASME B31.3 para 300.2 Definitions defines the Category M fluid as "the fluid is so highly toxic that a single exposure to a very small quantity of the fluid, caused by leakage, can produce serious irreversible harm to persons on breathing or bodily contact, even when prompt restorative measures are taken".
My questions on this:
1) what is the small quantity of fluid that B31.3 is pointing here?
2) Are hydrocarbons with H2S category M fluids? The 1000 ppm leakage in air is enough to kill a person (almost immediately).
3) Can we define that Hydrocarbon with H2S content more than XX percentage is hydrocarbon? How much that percentage would be? Any material available on that to refer?
 
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

Sort by date Sort by votes
With respect to questions 1 to 3, it is best advised to ask the owner to define whether a fluid can be 'labelled' as cat M fluid service. Ultimately it is there responsibility. Keep in mind cat M can have a consequence in installation cost, so it is best advised to make sure any cat M fluid service is determined before your company submits it's quotation.

Also see these useful links;
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The Owner or Owner's Engineer are responsible for defining M service. A number of Owners have define M for hydrocarbons with H2S; many do not.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Unless it's sour natural gas with 10%+ H2S, most owners would not define a stream as category M merely because it contains some H2S. In fact, I've seen low pressure H2S systems which had pure H2S delivery piping which was not defined as Category M. The same with chlorine systems. The designation is not arbitrary- fortunately- it's a risk mitigation exercise and is applied judiciously based on the magnitude of the harm which would result from a leak and the likelihood of a large leak.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks for all the answers!
So there is no fixed criterion, OWNER's engineer has to decide it. Fine!
Should it be PROCESS engineering department or PIPING?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
uaepiping,
Your question: "Should it be PROCESS engineering department or PIPING?"

Neither, It should be Project Management (& the Client) during the early Contract discussions. There should be a line or section in every Contract Document that is filled in with "None" or a list of every Cat "M" Fluid.

Why? you may ask.
The answer is Cost! The measures required to prevent leakage, clean-up spills, provide medical care and insurance against Law Suits all add to the cost of the project. It is better to know all the Cost Impact items up front.


Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dear MJCronin,
Noted with thanks.
My comment:
Owner has to decide and owner does not have slightest of help from ASME.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Still let him sign (and first make him aware of the responsibilities he has), because utlimately he'll become responsible for the piping system. See para 300(b)(1):
300 GENERAL STATEMENTS
(b) Responsibilities
(1) Owner. The owner of a piping installation shall
have overall responsibility for compliance with this
Code, and for establishing the requirements for design,
construction, examination, inspection, and testing that
will govern the entire fluid handling or process installation
of which the piping is a part. The owner is also
responsible for designating piping in Category D,
Category M, High Pressure, and High Purity Fluid
Services, and for determining if a specific Quality
System is to be employed. [See paras. 300(d)(4) through
(7) and Appendix Q.] Where applicable, the owner shall
consider requirements imposed by the authority having
jurisdiction regarding the piping installation.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S.G
  • Locked
  • Question
Category M (ASME B31.3) 1
Replies
2
Views
2K
S.G
S.G
Mahmoud Khalaf
  • Locked
  • Question
Fluid mechanics
Replies
1
Views
315
1503-44
1503-44
A
  • Locked
  • Question
Fluid Dynamics
Replies
2
Views
962
LittleInch
LittleInch
C
  • Question
Viscous Fluid Selection for AODD Pump Performance Testing
Replies
9
Views
3K
Doug Hunter
Doug Hunter
anoneeinche
  • Locked
  • Question
Expansion Tank Placement for Thermal Fluid Heating System
Replies
3
Views
623
georgeverghese
georgeverghese

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top Bottom